In recent years, the number of allergic people in China has increased significantly. Nearly 1/3 of the population suffers from allergies. The matter of going to the hospital for treatment can be handed over to the doctor. But today patients need to learn how to live with allergies. So in daily life, what should we pay attention to at home?

Let's hear what the experts have to say about home care for common allergies.

Director Xu Yuanteng and Deputy Director Zou Ying of the Allergy Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University shared "Home Care for Common Allergic Diseases" online!

Is too clean living environment also easy to cause allergies?

Why do people have allergic reactions?

First of all, genes are one aspect. Allergies have a genetic predisposition. The data shows that if one parent has allergic diseases, the probability of children suffering from allergic diseases is 10%. If both parents have allergic diseases, the probability of children suffering from allergic diseases is 20~30%.

But allergy is not entirely genetic. In fact, it is caused by many factors. Today, it is widely believed that modern lifestyle is a cause of high incidence of allergies.

We found that although there are few allergies in the grandparents, the younger generation has a high incidence of allergies, and the prevalence in cities is higher than that in rural areas, and the prevalence in developed countries is higher than that in developing countries.

Humans come from nature after all. Trees, flowers and sunlight are the environment suitable for our existence. Today's children are born into cramped, over-clean indoor environments. Lack of outdoor exercise, sufficient light, and alienation from nature make our immune system judge unfamiliar things as 'enemies', and the human body is prone to allergic diseases.

Is diarrhea caused by drinking milk an allergy?

Many people have diarrhea after drinking milk, which is actually caused by lactose intolerance instead of an allergic reaction. How to distinguish between the two:

Lactose intolerance manifests as digestive tract disorders such as stomach pain and diarrhea; the reason behind it is that the body lacks the digestive enzymes for milk and cannot digest this food.

Milk allergy is manifested as respiratory diseases such as red skin, itching and difficulty breathing. A milk allergy is an adverse reaction involving your immune system which mistakenly treats milk proteins as a threat (as if they’re dangerous invaders). Usually, it takes just a short period of time for symptoms of a milk allergy or dairy allergy to show, often within a few hours. The severity of the allergic reactions can be mild or severe, however in some cases, without medical help, this may lead to anaphylaxis that can be fatal.

In total, food allergies are caused by the human body having specific immunoglobulins while food intolerance is caused by the body's lack of specific digestive enzymes.

What should mite allergy sufferers pay attention to?

"The number one allergic disease in Fujian Province is dust mite allergy. Dust mites are everywhere. The mites tend to be most numerous in beds, overstuffed sofas and chairs, and adjacent carpeted areas. Therefore, if you are allergic to mites, you must clean the bed often, especially the pillows, and the air conditioner must be cleaned regularly, and household cleaning should be done regularly. ”

Home Care for Common Allergens

In terms of skin, the first thing is to protect the skin barrier:

1. Avoid excessive cleaning: the skin can secrete oil to protect the skin barrier. Excessive cleaning or washing the skin with hot water will damage the barrier.

2. Avoid frequent replacement of cosmetics: After you find a skin care product that suits you, it is not recommended to replace it frequently. If your face is already allergic, avoid making up again. For skincare at this point, just using normal saline is enough.

Food, clothing, shelter and means of traveling -- the four basic needs of everybody:

Food: Do not eat too finely. Eat a variety of foods, especially high-fiber foods. Eat more coarse food grains. Eat more probiotics.

Clothing: Don't wear bright-coloured clothes. Wear white natural, pure cotton and breathable clothes.

Shelter: Don’t stay in an air-conditioned room all the time. Go outdoors more. Younger children need sunlight and supplement vitamin D.

Means of traveling: If you have a pollen allergy, you need to take skin and eye protection measures when traveling such as wearing a mask.

Improving allergies is not something that can be achieved overnight. It is necessary to improve the allergic constitution, including preventing immune cells from releasing histamine, reducing allergen antibodies, and regulating immunity. And Ganoderma lucidum has these mechanisms.

Ganoderma lucidum can regulate immunity and improve allergic constitution and symptoms.

According to the research of Kobe Pharmaceutical University in Japan, Ganoderma lucidum can reduce the symptoms of nasal allergy caused by pollen.

In addition, Ganoderma lucidum can relieve itching caused by allergies mainly because the nerve receptors that transmit itching are inhibited, which blocks the generation of itching. Ganoderma lucidum can also improve allergic asthma. Ganoderma lucidum triterpenes inhibit inflammation and allergic reactions. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides can regulate immune responses. The effect of Ganoderma lucidum in improving allergies should not be underestimated.

Excerpted from Wu Tingyao's Healing with Ganoderma, p190-194

Regarding preventive measures, Dr. Zou suggested that you can try raising dogs and cats at home to simulate the natural environment and avoid excessive cleaning. Sometimes children crawling on the ground are healthier.